The Top 5 Richest People in the World

This might not be a good entry to read if your rent is due soon. Why? Because the people on this list would make even Bruce Wayne jealous. With more wealth than there are gold coins in Scrooge McDuck’s bank vault/swimming pool, these real world moguls bring home a lot more than just bacon.

5. Larry Ellison, Founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation

Ellison may have dropped out of college twice, but that didn’t stop him. Clearly.

The adopted son of Jewish immigrants, Ellison now lives the American Dream and then some. Beginning his career in computer design, Ellison went on to serve as a director of Apple and was the founder of Relational Software Inc., later called Oracle. There, Ellison made his fortune, developing software, databases, and a bunch of other technical things that you and I wouldn’t understand.

Which is why Larry Ellison is now the owner of multiple million-dollar mansions, and I am not.

4. Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

“No, no, no Barack. It’s buy low, sell high…”

Net Worth: US$53.5 Billion

Salary: $100,000 (2006)

Warren Buffett gives away more money than most people earn in a lifetime. Or several lifetimes. And even after that, he is still the fourth richest person in the world.

Buffett was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska where he still lives. He toiled for years but was never far from success as an investor, an educator, and a stoke-broker. He gained billionaire status when investment company Berkshire Hathaway went public in 1990 selling class-A shares.

Since then, Buffett has become an outspoken advocate for charity and for raising taxes on America’s wealthy.

Despite his notable penchant for philanthropy, don’t even think about calling him for a loan. Even his own children won’t be receiving a significant portion of his wealth as Buffett plans to give away most of his money upon his death.

3. Amancio Ortega, Fashion Mogul

Net Worth: US$57 Billion

Ortega has been wealthy for a long time. But he hasn’t been this wealthy for that long. There isn’t usually a lot of movement on lists of billionaires but recent years have seen Ortega’s wealth grow by $19.5 billion.

Ortega is chairman of Inditex, a Spanish-based multinational clothing corporation known for brands like Zara. He is known for keeping a low profile, avoiding photographs, dressing simply, and living in a small non-descript apartment with his wife. Ortega is such an everyday kind of guy that, who knows, you might walk by him every day.

2. Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft

You knew this was coming, so here he is. Founder of Microsoft, Gates made his fortune during the personal computer revolution and now focuses a lot of his energy on the philanthropic Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (which most recently offered a $100,000 prize for the design of a better-feeling condom, because… why not).

Gates is consistently ranked as the wealthiest American and he continues to reside in the Washington state area where he grew up. Though I think they had to make a little more room for his 66,000 square foot estate.

1. Carlos Slim Helu, Telecommunications Magnate

Net Worth: US$73 Billion

Carlos Slim has held the title of richest person in the world for the last four years. And it doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere. The majority of Slim’s wealth rests in America Movil, Mexico’s largest mobile phone carrier. But that’s only $49 billion. The rest of his personal finances come from corporate holdings in other endeavors.

Slim has been criticized for maintaining a monopoly in Mexico’s mobile communications market and for business practices that some deem unfair in the economy of a developing country. Slim, however, seems not to notice over the sound of all that money.

Conclusion:

293.5. That’s how many billions these five men account for.

What would you do with that kind of money? Tell us in the comments below.